Wanda T Jarosinski

Wanda Jarosinski February 21, 1925 - September 23, 2019 Wanda (Kozak) Jarosinski was born February 21, 1925 in Newark, New Jersey, the fourth and longest surviving child of five. She married her high school sweetheart, John, after WWII. Together, they lived in Maplewood for over 60 years, had four children, seven grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. She worked briefly as a secretary and left the workplace once her children were born. She loved swimming in the ocean, always wearing her trademark bathing cap, bingo, ANY kind of dessert, and was a collector of many, many useless things. (Seriously, you should have seen her pile of 1970s road maps). She was proud to be an extremely active volunteer in the parish of Saint Stanislaus church, where she was also baptized, married, and now will have her funeral. Wanda was proud of her Polish heritage, speaking and writing in Polish whenever the opportunity availed (especially when she didnt want her children to hear and understand what she was saying). The inscription above her picture in her 1942 yearbook reads, "one whose gentle face was fairer than the roses at her feet." She never liked that quote. When asked why, she simply cracked a mischievous grin and said with a laugh, "I dunno. I thought it was stupid." (You were hoping for something more profound?) A quick glance through the rest of the yearbook pages reveal several notes of the same sentiment from her classmates and friends. Everyone who knew her shared this view of Wanda. Beauty, brains, wit. She had a sharp sense of humor that was deeply ingrained in her. One that stayed with her long after she no longer had the ability to communicate with words. She could never resist potty humor or a good costume, and could often be found sticking her tongue out and making silly faces at her great grandchildren. She laughed easily and made sure others did the same. Wanda made a mean pierogi. Thankfully she passed her recipe on to her children and grandchildren. We are lucky that she also passed that sense of humor, her stories, and her love. We will carry those things with us forever.